Safety concerns weigh on minds of students, parents

With the government announcing that Class X public examinations would commence on June 1, many students and parents are worried about safety when COVID-19 cases in the State are on the rise.

B. Mahalakshmi, a Class X student at a government-aided school in the city, said she stayed with her grandparents in Coimbatore and had gone to her residence at Pongalur in Tiruppur district on March 21 shortly after the State government ordered the closure of educational institutions. “All my textbooks and notes are in my grandparents’ house and I could not revise properly in the past two months,” she said. Her parents are unsure about sending her to Coimbatore in view of lack of public transport.

U. Abbay Singh of a private school in Siddhapudur said he had revised the portions well during the lockdown, but was worried over inadequate safety measures, especially in regard to physical distancing norms and hygiene in examination halls.

G. Malarvizhi, whose daughter is studying in a private school at Selvapuram, said June 1 was too early. With the possibility of crowding at examination centres, parents would dread the risk of their children contracting COVID-19. “As parents, the safety of our children is our first priority,” she said. “Nobody expected that the examinations would be held this early,” said T. Arulanandam, State Auditor of Tamil Nadu High Higher Secondary School Graduate Teachers Association (TNHHSSGTA). The State government must clarify on the precautionary measures taken for the conduct of the examinations, such as safe transportation, ensuring physical distancing and wearing of masks.

Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer P. Usha said specific guidelines from the Department of School Education on the conduct of the examinations and aspects such as transport had not been received yet.

“Once we get the guidelines, it will be implemented,” she said.

A total of 41,148 students will sit for Class X examinations in Coimbatore district this academic year.